srdonaldson.thepowerthatpreserves-第28部分

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　　　　〃Yes；　I　know；〃　Covenant　mumbled　in　spite　of　himself。　〃He　would　consider　himself　lucky　if　he　got　killed。〃　As　tenderly　as　he　could；　he　reached　out　and　drew　her　into　his　arms。
　　　　At　once　she　embraced　him；　clung　convulsively　to　him　while　a　crisis　within　her　crested；　receded。　But　even　as　he　gave　her　what　fort　he　could　with　his　arms；　he　was　looking　back　toward　the　Stonedown。　The　shouts　and　cries　and　clatter　of　the　fighting　outweighed　his　own　torn　emotions；　his　conflicting　sympathy　for　and　horror　of　Lena。　When　she　stepped　back　from　him；　he　had　to　force　himself　to　meet　the　happiness　which　sparkled　in　her　mistaken　eyes。
　　　　〃I　am　so　glad…my　eyes　rejoice　to　behold　you。　I　have　held…I　have　desired　to　be　worthy。　Ah；　you　must　meet　our　daughter。　She　will　make　you　proud。〃
　　　　Elena！　Covenant　groaned　thickly。　They　haven't　told　her…she　doesn't　understand…　Hellfire。
　　　　For　a　moment；　he　ached　under　his　helplessness；　his　inability　to　speak。　But　then　a　hoarse　shout　from　the　Stonedown　rescued　him。　Looking　down；　he　saw　people　standing　in　the　center　of　the　village　with　their　swords　and　spears　upraised。　Beyond　them；　the　surviving　marauders　fled　for　their　lives　toward　the　open　plains。　A　handful　of　the　defenders　gave　savage　pursuit；　harried　the　creatures　to　prevent　as　many　as　possible　from　escaping。
　　　　Immediately；　Covenant　started　down　the　rocks。　He　heard　Lena　shout　word　of　the　victory　to　Slen　and　the　other　people　at　the　mouth　of　the　cave；　but　he　did　not　wait　for　her　or　them。　He　ran　down　out　of　the　foothills　as　if　he　too　were　fleeing…fleeing　from　Lena；　or　from　his　fear　for　Foamfollower；　he　did　not　know　which。　As　swiftly　as　he　could　without　slipping　in　the　snow；　he　hurried　toward　Mithil　Stonedown。
　　　　But　when　he　dashed　between　the　houses　and　stumbled　in　among　the　hacked　corpses；　he　lurched　to　a　halt。　All　around　him　the　snow　and　stone　were　spattered　with　blood…livid　incarnadine　patches；　heavy　swaths　of　red…gray　serum　diseased　by　streaks　of　green。　Stonedownors…some　of　them　torn　limb　from　limb…lay　confused　amid　the　litter　of　Lord　Foul's　creatures。　But　the　perverse　faces　and　forms　of　the　creatures　were　what　drew　Covenant's　attention。　Even　in　death；　they　stank　of　the　abomination　which　had　been　practiced　upon　them　by　their　maker；　and　they　appalled　him　more　than　ur…viles　or　kresh　or　discolored　moons。　They　were　so　entirely　the　victims　of　Foul's　contempt。　The　sight　and　smell　of　them　made　his　guts　heave。　He　dropped　to　his　knees　in　the　disfigured　snow　and　vomited　as　if　he　were　desperate　to　purge　himself　of　his　kinship　with　these　creatures。
　　　　Lena　caught　up　with　him　there。　When　she　saw　him；　she　gave　a　low　cry　and　flung　her　arms　around　him。　〃What　is　wrong？〃　she　moaned。　〃Oh；　beloved；　you　are　ill。〃
　　　　Her　use　of　the　word　beloved　stung　him　like　acid　flung　from　the　far　side　°f　Elena's　lost　grave。　It　drove　him　reeling　to　his　feet。　Lena　tried　to　help　him；　but　he　pushed　her　hands　away。　Into　the　concern　of　her　face；　he　cried；　〃Don't　touch　me。　Don't。〃　Jerking　brokenly；　his　hands　gestured　at　the　bodies　around　him。　〃They're　lepers。　Lepers　like　me。　This　is　what　Foul　wants　to　do　to　everything。〃　His　mouth　twisted　around　the　words　as　if　they　shared　the　gall　of　his　nausea。
　　　　Several　Stonedownors　had　gathered　near　him。　Triock　was　among　them。　His　hands　were　red；　and　blood　ran　from　a　cut　along　the　line　of　his　jaw；　but　when　he　spoke；　he　only　sounded　bitterer；　harder。　〃It　boots　nothing　to　say　that　they　have　been　made　to　be　what　they　are。　Still　they　shed　blood…they　ravage…they　destroy。　They　must　be　prevented。〃
　　　　〃They're　like　me。〃　Covenant　turned　panting　toward　Triock　as　if　he　meant　to　hurl　himself　at　the　Stonedownor's　throat。　But　when　he　looked　up　he　saw　Foamfollower　standing　behind　Triock。　The　Giant　had　survived　a　fearsome　struggle。　The　muscles　of　his　arms　quivered　with　exhaustion。　His　leather　jerkin　hung　from　his　shoulders　in　shreds；　and　all　across　his　chest　were　garish　red　sores…wounds　inflicted　by　the　suckers　of　the　rock　destroyer。　But　a　sated　look　glazed　his　deep…set　eyes；　and　the　vestiges　of　a　fierce　grin　clung　to　his　lips。
　　　　Covenant　struggled　for　breath　in　the　bloody　air　of　the　Stonedown。　The　sight　of　Foamfollower　triggered　a　reaction　he　could　not　control。　〃Get　your　people　together；〃　he　rasped　at　Triock。　〃I've　decided　what　I'm　going　to　do。〃
　　　　The　hardness　of　Triock's　mouth　did　not　relent；　but　his　eyes　softened　as　he　searched　Covenant's　gaze。　〃Such　choices　can　wait　a　little　longer；〃　he　replied　stiffly。　〃We　have　other　duties。　We　must　cleanse　Mithil　Stonedown　…rid　our　homes　of　this　stain。〃　Then　he　turned　and　walked　away。
　　　　Soon　all　the　people　who　were　whole　or　strong　enough　were　at　work。　First　they　buried　their　fallen　friends　and　kindred　in　honorable　rocky　cairns　high　in　the　eastern　slopes　of　the　valley。　And　when　that　grim　task　was　done；　they　gathered　together　all　the　creature　corpses　and　carted　this　hacked　and　broken　rubble　downriver　across　the　bridge　to　the　west　bank　of　the　Mithil。　There　they　built　a　pyre　like　a　huge　warning　blaze　to　any　marauders　in　the　South　Plains　and　burned　the　dead　creatures　until　even　the　bones　were　reduced　to　white　ash。　Then　they　returned　to　the　Stonedown。　With　clean　snow；　they　scrubbed　it　from　rim　to　center　until　all　the　blood　and　gore　had　been　washed　from　the　houses　and　swept　from　the　ground　of　the　village。
　　　　Covenant　did　not　help　them。　After　his　recent　exertions；　he　was　too　weak　for　such　labor。　But　he　felt　cold；　upright；　and　passionate；　ballasted　by　the　new　granite　of　his　purpose。　He　went　with　Lena；　Slen；　and　the　Circle　of　elders　to　the　banks　of　the　river；　and　there　helped　treat　the　injuries　of　the　Stonedownors。　He　cleaned　and　bound　wounds；　removed　slivers　of　broken　weapons；　amputated　mangled　fingers　and　toes。　When　even　the　elders　faltered；　he　took　the　blue…hot　blade　and　used　it　to　clean　the　sores　which　covered　Foamfollower's　chest　and　back。　His　fingers　trembled　at　the　task；　and　his　halfhand　slipped　on　the　knife's　handle；　but　he　pressed　fire　into　the　Giant's　oaken　muscles　until　all　the　sucker　wounds　had　been　　seared。
　　　　Foamfollower　took　a　deep　breath　that　shuddered　with　pain；　and　said；　〃Thank　you；　my　friend。　That　is　a　grateful　fire。　You　have　made　it　somewhat　like　the　caamora。〃　But　Covenant　threw　down　the　blade　without　answering；　and　went　to　plunge　his　shaking　hands　into　the　icy　waters　of　the　Mithil。　All　the　while；　a　deep　rage　mounted　within　him；　grew　up　his　soul　like　slow　vines　reaching　toward　savagery。
　　　　Later；　when　all　the　wounded　had　been　given　treatment；　Slen　and　the　elders　cooked　a　meal　for　the　whole　village。　Sitting　in　the　new　cleanliness　of　the　open　center；　the　people　ate　hot　savory　stew　with　unleavened　bread；　cheese；　and　dried　fruit。　Covenant　joined　them。　Throughout　the　meal；　Lena　tended　him　like　a　servant。　But　he　kept　his　eyes　down；　stared　at　the　ground　to　avoid　her　face　and　all　other　faces；　he　did　not　wish　to　be　distracted　from　the　process　taking　place　within　him。　With　cold　determination；　he　ate　every　scrap　of　food　offered　to　him。　He　needed　nourishment　for　his　purpose。
　　　　After　the　meal；　Triock　made　new　arrangements　for　the　protection　of　the　Stonedown。　He　sent　scouts　back　out　to　the　Plains；　designed　tentative　plans　against　another　attack；　asked　for　volunteers　to　carry　word　of　the　rock…destroying　creatures　to　the　Stonedown's　nearest　neighbors；　thirty　leagues　away。　Then　at　last　he　turned　to　the　matter　of　Covenant's　decision。
　　　　Yeurquin　and　Quirrel　sat　down　on　either　side　of　Triock　as　he　faced　the　village。　Before　he　began；　he　glanced　at　Foamfollower；　who　stood　nearby。　Obliquely；　Covenant　observed　that　in　the　place　of　his　ruined　jerkin　Foam…follower　now　wore　an　armless　sheepskin　cloak。　It　did　not　close　across　his　chest；　but　it　covered　his　shoulders　and　back　like　a　vest。　He　nodded　in　response　to　Triock's　mute　question；　and　Triock　said；　〃Well；　then。　Let　us　delay　no　longer。〃　In　a　rough；　sardonic　tone；　he　added；　〃We　have　had　rest　enough。
　　　　〃My　friends；　here　is　ur…Lord　Thomas　Covenant；　Unbeliever　and　white　gold　wielder。　For　good　or　ill；　the　Giant　and　I　have　brought　him　to　the　Land。　You　know　the　lore　which　has　been　abroad　in　the　Land　since　that　day　seven　and　forty　years　ago　when　the　Unbeliever　first　came　to　Mithil　Stonedown　from　Kevin's　Watch。　You　see　that　he　es　in　the　semblance　of　Berek　Halfhand；　Heartthew　and　Lord…Fatherer；　and　bears　with　him　the　talisman　of　the　wild　magic　which　destroys　peace。　You　have　heard　the　ancient　song：
　　　　And　with　the　one　word　of　truth　or　treachery；　he　will　save　or　damn　the　Earth　because　he　is　mad　and　sane；　cold　and　passionate；　lost　and　found。
　　　　He　is　among　us　now　so　that　he　may　fulfill　all　his　prophecies。
　　　　〃My　friends；　a　blessing　in　the　apparel　of　disease　may　still　right　wrongs。　And　treachers　in　any　other　garb　remain　accursed。　I　know　not　whether　we　have　wrought　life　or　death　for　the　Land　in　this　matter。　But　many　brave　hearts　have　held　hope　in　the　name　of　the　Unbeliever。　The　Lorewardens　of　the　Loresraat　saw　omens　of　good　in　the　darkest　deeds　which　cling　to　Covenant's　name。　And　it　was　said　among　them　that　High　Lord　Mhoram　does　not　falter　in　his　trust。　Each　of　you　must　choose　your　own　faith。　I　choose　to　support　the　High　Lord's　trust。〃
　　　　〃I；　also；〃　said　Foamfollower　quietly。　〃I　have　known　both　Mhoram　son　of　Variol　and　Thomas　Covenant。〃
　　　　Omens；　hell！　C